Arizona silver belt., 1887-03-19
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a'he Governor Il deserving o. credit
for having nulifed, by veto, the
action oG The Leg stature id passing b
lottery scheme, Members voting for
the Measure cannot screen their ac-
tion by pleading ignorance Of its oi
feet, had il passed into law II was
elaborately discussed and those oppos-
ing its adoption were most clear IN
predicting its baleful influence upon
the community at large, Not only
did they do that, but they referred to
the humiliating position that the
Territory would be placed in as a
party to a gambling scheme yet the
supporters Of the measure were
stubborn in its advocacy. Even af-
ter the Governors cogent reasons for
his disapproval Of the bill were read
in the Council, where il originated, II
received the affirmative votes Of Breed
Drake, Goodrich, Robertson aud Wat.
kins doubtless, under the gauzy
pretex that it would put money in
the Territorial treasury and the
school fund without considering the
small percentage Of money, taken
from the pockets ofthe people, which,
by the provisions Of the bill, would
inure to the Territorial fund, or the
hardship it would work upon the
families Of men Of speculative inch-
nation.
The Bill Of Rights, which became a
law in 1864, interdicted 'thc estab.
lishment Of any lotteries Or sale
of lottery tickets within this
Territory" The Organic Act Of
Arizona also provides 'that all laws
Of the United States which are not lo-
oally inappheable, shall have the same
effect within this Territory as else
where within the United States. "
Sections 1851, 1894, 3929 and 40A1 Of
tne revised statutes, second edition Of
1878, are applicable, and particularly
hostile to lotteries in all the terrific.
ries, and such being the case, it IS
pertinent to enquire why the tame Oh
Arizona Legislature was worse than
wasted in considering a lottery
scheme which, even had It received
the approval Of the Governor, could
not have become a law.
The Governor in bis veto message
says;
"The policy Of our lawmakers in my
Judgment sAonid lse directed against
promoting saca a passion for gazing /;
Il, as Is claimed, itso generally exists
(which ] am not willing to adnit),
rather than foster and encourage it by
legal license. such a system eff LAWS
has in the past exertea an uRaealtb-
ful influence upon public morals The
strength and only safe founda .ion
upon which to build good government
is public morality. The homes el our
land, the synetrical beauty Of the
family relations, and the purity Of
society, an rest upon the solid basis of
personal morality Equally necessary
rs it that there should be aseleyated o
moral standard in the state as in the
home, the family and society all alike
conduce To tho public veal.
The Federal statutes expressly pro-
hibit special legislation in the Ter
ritory BY granting to any corpora
tion, association or individual any
SPECIAL or exclusive privilege, iRmu-
nlty or franchise whatever =
Believing it to be in conflict with
what is known as the Harrison Act
and being unwilling TO aid in the le-
gallzation Of a gambling scheme, by
which the earnings of men, women
and even children can ia seduced Ia
investment in lottery tickets, To build
upthe fortunes of few interested
stockholders at the expense of public
morals, under the pretextof replenisb-
ing the pubic school fund, prefering
that our public schools, ii the future as
in the past, should be maintained By the
free, honest offerings ot the people,
rather than our children should be
educated from the oYeraowiug profits
Of system Of legalized gambling,
which IA my Judgment is sitbyersiye
Of every sense of political morality.
/ cannot but decline 10 sign this Aet. "